Gave the Carpetbagger Nymph a little fishing workout on the Rogue River Sunday. Put it up against the Brown Forked Tail Prince Nymph in a little fish-off. The Carpetbagger won that battle by attracting a feisty, native steelhead during the waning afternoon. The Carpetbagger also won the fight with the steelhead remaining attached by not pulling out or breaking. Steelhead candy in the form of the Carpetbagger Stonefly Nymph! Don’t go to the river without one.
Some of the steelhead patterns that have been popular for the Rogue River recently. With the cooling weather the trend will be to heavier, bead head fly patterns like the Carpetbagger, G.R. Hare’s Ear, and Prince Nymphs. However throughout the fall all these patterns will have their time and place.
A fresh, bright Rogue River summer steelhead. This one came to a Bead Head G.R. Hare’s Ear Nymph. It was fished as a dropper to a Bead Head Carpetbagger (glimmer) Stonefly Nymph.
The upper Rogue River has opened for flies only for summer steelhead. Fly patterns like the Carpetbagger Stonefly, G.R. Hare’s Ear, and Brown Forked-tail Prince nymphs will work well for these fish. I tie all of mine with a heavy bead head. Traditional summer steelhead patterns like the Green-butt Skunk, Silver Hilton and Gold Demon all will swing well during September. I like to fish my wet fly patterns at low light or when the situation allows. Now also is the time to break out your more exotic steelhead and Atlantic salmon ties. One that I favor because of it’s continued success is the Grey Heron. The pattern with it’s long flowing hackles also seem to attract the Rogue cutthroat trout
